For She is Wrath

FOR SHE IS WRATH is a consuming and thrilling YA fantasy. The story begins with Dania in prison, where she is frequently beaten and tortured due to a crime for which she was framed. She is eager to try a bloody escape - which only results in being caught and beat. Although she is an expert with the sword, she is weaponless in prison, and she is driven by her thirst for revenge for all those who put her there, including her former lover, Mazin.

When another prisoner, Noor, accidentally shows up in her cell having dug through the floor, they begin to work together to tunnel their way out, a slow and arduous task. Noor also seeks revenge on the usurping ruler who had made a bargain with a djinn, as he destroyed her father figure, Souma, and sent her to the prison for information on where he hid the seeds that confer some of the djinn's magic to those who consume them.

Together, their revenge is consuming, threatening to destroy them as they enact it upon those who have wronged them.

What I loved: This was an absolutely incredible read, and I loved every second it. It completely consumed me right from the start, and I found it nearly impossible to put down. So, first, the characters - the story is told from the perspective of Dania, and she is a highly compelling character. She has been horribly wronged and she wants revenge - though what she wants more than revenge is to see her father and grandmother again. She cares deeply and finds it challenging to view those around her impassively, particularly Noor who she becomes fond of and Mazin, for whom she had a deep love. Noor is also an engaging character, she views things differently than Dania and also cares deeply. While she also wants revenge, she often seems to be the voice of reason along the way.

The romance was really fantastic with glimpses of the past woven into the story to show how Mazin and Dania fell in love, how she was betrayed, as well as their present, as she gets close to him using djinn magic to change her appearance and enact her vengeance. The power of love shines through the story, both their romantic love, but also the love of friendship and family.

Other themes around the price of vengeance and the ways that it can destroy from within are particularly compelling, and the ways that Dania begins to have epiphanies about this are really fantastic, giving her choices as she makes her way. Questions around what is vengeance, the cost of it, the weight and burden, the consuming nature of it, and the thirst for it are all discussed throughout the story, and I found it really thought-provoking. Themes around betrayal, trust, power, politics, and greed are likewise interesting to discuss through the plot.

The world-building is fantastic - it is woven smoothly through the story so that this world comes to life through Dania's story. I absolutely would read more of this world and characters - I loved them all. That being said, the plot is wrapped up nicely at the end of this book, and it's a stand-alone.

Final verdict: FOR SHE IS WRATH is a compelling and consuming YA fantasy that I highly recommend picking up! I would especially recommend for fans of THE PRISON HEALER, HEIR, and THE CRIMSON MOTH.